India detains suspect in plot to kill Bangladesh PM
Police have arrested a key suspect in a blast in West Bengal who they believe is linked to a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of neighbouring Bangladesh and stage a coup there. Story
Pakistan military kills al-Qaeda leader wanted in U.S.
WANA, Pakistan - Pakistani helicopter gunships swooped on a militant hideout in a predawn raid on Saturday and shot dead a top al-Qaeda operative who was wanted in the United States for planning to bomb the New York subway system, the military said.
Protests flare for third night in New York
Protesters in New York and other cities rallied for a third night on Friday denouncing the use of deadly force by police against minorities, even as prosecutors said they would consider charges against an officer in the fatal shooting of a unarmed black man in November. Full Article
Movie Review: Action Jackson
Prabhudheva’s last film “R…Rajkumar” was misogynistic, offensive and a perfect prototype of what Bollywood considers a “masala entertainer”. With “Action Jackson”, it just got uglier and louder, and, if past audience reactions are anything to go by, is well on its way to box office glory. Full Article
Australia face biggest mental battle: Ponting
An Australia team still mourning the tragic death of Phillip Hughes face the biggest mental battle of their careers in playing the first test against India next week, said former captain Ricky Ponting. Full Article
Storm triggers huge evacuation in Philippines
More than half a million people in the Philippines have fled from a powerful typhoon in one of the world's biggest peacetime evacuations as the storm churns towards central provinces that still bear the scars of a super typhoon 13 months ago. Full Article
Employees of Sony receive email threat
Employees at Sony Pictures Entertainment received threatening emails on Friday that claimed to be from the group that carried out a massive cyber attack at the Hollywood film studio. Full Article
Latest Headlines
Pharma
France, Germany suspend some drug approvals over Indian data
Regulators in France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg are suspending the marketing approval of 25 generic drugs due to concerns over the quality of data from clinical trials conducted by India's GVK Biosciences, French watchdog ANSM said. Story
India may boast world’s steepest rate cuts in 2015
India has decided against cutting its interest rates. But that only means next year might see it slashing them more than any other major economy. The RBI left the benchmark repo rate unchanged at 8 percent on Dec. 2, fending off strong pressure from the government to start easing its monetary policy. Governor Raghuram Rajan says he first wants to see more proof of fiscal correction and disinflation. Read
India shows link between crude oil and gold
A common theme in recent gold market reports is the link between price movements in the precious metal and crude oil. While there certainly appears to be a valid correlation in recent years, one that has strengthened in recent months, events in India show a different, unexpected link between the two commodities. Full Article
Tips on how to buy the right life insurance policy
It is tax-saving season, and you may be one of the many people who turn to life insurance plans to meet the 80C investment limit. That’s fine, as long as you don’t complain tomorrow that you bought the wrong policy and spend the next 19 years regretting it. So here are some simple tips to help you make the right choices while buying a life insurance. Full Article
Tax corporates less to revive economy
Tax reduction will have a two-way effect. First, it will increase profitability of companies, attract more investment and generate growth. That means more revenue for the government. Second, lower taxation will also discourage tax evasion. Arun Jaitley’s first full-year budget has to lay out a sound plan for policy reforms which can transform the economy. Full Article
Want a helping hand? Try wearing high heels.
A new study finds men are more likely to help a woman wearing high heels.That high heels change how straight men respond to women is hardly surprising. Heels change the way you walk, stand, and the way your clothes fit you. As a culture, we've decided that the changes heels produce in how we carry themselves are desirable, a decision we’ve stuck to for over 50 years. Commentary
Review: The shirk ethic – a user’s guide
Work can be seen as a blessing or a curse. In his book “Empty Labor: Idleness and Workplace Resistance,” Swedish sociologist Roland Paulsen examines people who take mostly the latter view, asking how and why they shirk, and whether it’s always a bad thing. His study of idleness on the job is enlightening, amusing and sad. Full Article
Snowden film 'CitizenFour' wins top documentary award
"CitizenFour," filmmaker Laura Poitras's documentary about National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, was given the top award for best feature by the International Documentary Association on Friday. Full Article